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Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Summertime Stroll Along the Lakeshore

This week the weather has been a bit cooler so we decided to take a little boat ride. The lake level is lower because of the drought. Most of the summer there is no sandy beach at all. I noticed something growing along the shore while we were riding around. It was pink and since I have had Joe-Pye Weed on the brain, I wondered if that was what we had just down the way a little bit.

Since the sandy beach was open, today I took a little walk ---that is our dock in the photo above. There were lots of deer tracks, but they stopped at our beach...nice. Also saw some paw prints that could be the opossum that we have had in the yard twice recently.

There were lots of fun plants to take photos of...first --the one who drew me to walk down the beach.

Asclepias incarnata, Swamp milkweed!! --isn't she lovely?

This hummingbird moth seems to like it, I tried a number of times to get a good photo of this little guy.

I am in love with this pretty pink bloom. Certainly one I will add to my garden areas next year.

All along the shore we have these hibiscus growing and reseeding with abandonment. Hibiscus moscheutos-- Crimson-eyed hibiscus and its seedpods--look at all those seeds!

I came across these little berries, love the blue color. I believe they are on the Red twig Dogwood, but please correct me if I am mistaken.

Cornus sericea, Red twig dogwood. Aren't these berries fun?

Alnus serrulatta, Hazel Alder...I think. These are the immature fruits.

River Oats, Chasmanthium latifolium dot the banks.

What is this you may wonder.......

compound leaves on a green twining vine.

See the cluster of buds? Looks like it is in the pea family, Fabaceae.

Look at this color...this is what confuses me. If this is what I think it is, this bloom should be purple/lavender.....not reddish burgundy.

The pollinators seem to like it.

I think....IF it had purple flowers it would be a native Wisteria...Wisteria frutescens. Any ideas???

23 comments:

Are you able to walk around the whole lake and would the neighbors mind? I agree with you about the mystery plant looking like native wisteria, but that color? If it is, you should get cuttings and introduce new hues to the gene pool.

I don't think it is wisteria because of the leaf shape. I may be off base though. You got a good photo of the hummingbird moth. Yes on the red twig dogwood. I have one here and the birds love those blue/black berries. Lucky you to have this milkweed. Any monarchs on it?

So much to see with a little stroll along the beach. I spot something new every time we go the lake. Not much lake going this summer due to renovation but oh well, there is always fall. That is, if the lake does not get lower. The drought is starting to show at our lake...

Hi Janet, I enjoyed this little walk along the shore. I have learned to have a new appreciation for wild flowers from all my visits to your blog.Gosh, that pink milkweed is pretty and your pictures are just superb. I am glad you were able to get a plant ID. The flower reminds me a little of Baptisia.

I remember a trick my botany prof taught about how to ID red twig dogwood - if you slowly pull the leaves apart, little threads will stretch between the veins. But you probably already know that. And I think I saw a hummingbird moth around here last summer and had no idea what it was, thanks for the picture!

Wow that was really fun Janet. You are a good photographer. I loved the hummingbird moth and all the plants. Makes me grateful that if I have to go to work it is at a nursery filled with plants, butterflies, birds and bugs.

another great post, janet. you have so many wonderful native plants around you! kudos to freda for the ID. i don't recall ever seeing that plant before, but i love the color. i planted a pink milkweed this year but so far it hasn't bloomed. should it have? the plant looks great, but no flowers.

Les, No, the lake is about 22 miles long with about 200 miles of shoreline, much of it is very steeply walled rock outcrops. I can walk about a quarter mile to the left and about a half mile to the right IN THE WINTER, now I can't walk to the left past our lot and only about 300 feet past our lot line before the water is too high and there is a cove where it is very swampy. Freda found the ID of my vine. Very cool plant.

Alison,I agree, we do have some great plants here. I like the cool color of these blooms. Check out the link to the newly IDed vine. Very interesting read.

Tina, you were right! Not a wisteria. Good for you. No monarchs yet.

Darla, you are the champ on the hummingbird moth photos!

Randy, It was a light butterfly day, not sure why? Our weather has been cooler (high 80's to low 90's instead of hovering around 100)

Kim and Victoria, thanks! I only walked about 100 yeards and look at all I saw! Great fun.

Lona,I have been pleasantly surprised at the number of natives growing along the lake. I love that Milkweed!

Skeeter, I am sure your renovation has kept you busy. Our lake isn't as bad as some ....but it is about a foot down

Cameron, thank you thank you thank you!!! Great ID! I have seen some Monarchs but not in my garden yet. I plan on growing the swamp milkweed.

Donna, thanks for coming along!

Jennifer, I have learned a new appreciation for wild flowers exploring the woods and shoreline. My pictures are poor in comparison to yours! I agree the Groundnut looks like a Baptista!

VW, I like that trick, and no, I didn't know it before! I tried it on the cultivated ones I have out front....it does have little threads when you pull it apart! Cool. Glad you found out about the hummingbird moth. They are so cool.

Ann, Hey, (that is Southern for Hi) thanks for commenting! I thought you would like the native plants. You work at a nice nursery. :-)

Daricia, you are so kind! thanks!I agree with you, Freda is to be congratulated! I wonder why your milkweed hasn't bloomed? I think it should have by now? Maybe because it is young??

What a lovely variety of wildflowers you have growing near your home, Janet! I have really come to like the swamp milkweed; such pretty pink flowers. And the hibiscus--what a find! I envy you getting to walk along that beach path whenever you like.

You are totally right about my mutant coneflowers having aster yellows. Looks like I'll be pulling some out. I never would have guessed it was a ground nut because I've never seen one before. I thought it was wisteria til I saw the pix! Hopefully, you'll get some rain soon.

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